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Julie, a carer at the Swindon branch of Helping Hands, supports a young lady called Kirsty, who has autism. Kirsty’s favourite band is Take That, and when they went on tour earlier this year, she was desperate to go and see them. This is where her carer Julie stepped in; she accompanied Kirsty to the […]
Real-life stories from our customers and carers
Inspirational stories from the people we support and the carers that enable them to live as independently as possible.
Helping a customer with dementia in Basingstoke
9 September by Laura Belford-ThomasOne of the carers at the Basingstoke branch has gone above and beyond the call of duty for a customer living with dementia. Carer Louise spent some of her care calls exploring the places her customer had travelled to in his younger years via Google Maps. As Louise’s customer struggled to navigate his way around […]
ME and Me: Naomi’s Story
1 July by Lauren KnowlesMeet Naomi: a bright, adventurous and talented woman who studied for her PhD at Cambridge University. In 2006, Naomi suffered a stroke which subsequently left her living with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) – also referred to as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Here, Naomi tells us her story in her own words and explains how, with the […]
Living with ME: Lucy’s Story
7 May by Lauren KnowlesLucy was a normal, healthy and active teenager. A keen swimmer, member of a running club, hockey player and a volunteer for children with special educational needs, Lucy was preparing for a vibrant and exciting future. In her final year of Sixth Form, Lucy contracted chicken pox. After a few weeks away from college, Lucy […]
Sweethearts Jerry and Ella share their story
1 May by Laura Belford-ThomasMeet Jerry and Ella Charles. They found each other over 40 years ago when Jerry was a customer in Ella’s sweet shop and have been inseparable ever since. Since June 2017, the Helping Hands team in Barnet have been providing visiting care for the couple who live in Southgate, North London. After a period of […]
Hannah’s story: Living with cerebral palsy as a young adult
24 April by Laura Belford-ThomasMeet Hannah, a bright and bubbly 27-year-old with a great sense of humour and positive outlook on life. She loves music and was even lucky enough to watch the Rolling Stones live at the London Stadium in 2018! She also lives with cerebral palsy and has done since birth. Since starting care with Helping Hands […]
Jemma raises awareness for spinal muscular atrophy
10 April by Laura Belford-ThomasOn 13th April, Helping Hands customer Jemma Collins will be freefall abseiling from the ArcelorMittal Orbit in London’s Olympic Park. At 262-feet-tall, it’s the UK’s tallest structure with views of up to a 20-mile radius of the capital. But this isn’t the first time Jemma has taken on a breath-taking challenge. Nine years ago, she […]
How Charmaine gave a helping hand to Ben on his road to recovery
1 April by Laura Belford-ThomasCharmaine, from our branch in Barnet, has been working with Ben since the summer of 2017 and it’s been an incredibly long yet rewarding journey. From being barely able to move and care for himself to now making his own meals and beginning to walk, Ben has made remarkable improvements since his accident, which could […]
How seeking support for Mum sparked a career in care
23 August by Cleo CanningMany of the carers we welcome to our team have had their own experiences of supporting their own families. For Lise, a care assistant in St Albans, it was after her mother experienced a fall that sparked a series of events that led her to Helping Hands. Lise shares how she came to hear about […]
The relationship between music and dementia
9 July by Kerry WrightThere are many different techniques we can use to alleviate the symptoms of dementia which can help ease the challenges faced by someone who is living with the condition, and their family. The influence of music can work towards ‘unlocking’ memories and reaching parts of the brain which other forms of communication cannot. Simon, a […]